A private audience with Winston Churchill is an experience few people can boast they have enjoyed.

Fewer still can tell tales of days spent sat with the iconic Prime Minister in his inner sanctum as he planned the British effort during the Second World War.

But one Reigate resident was there through Churchill's darkest and finest hours – unfortunately, though, she will no longer tell the tales.

Charlie, a blue-and-gold macaw, was Churchill's pet during his time in power, but despite her former owner's penchant for inspiring rhetoric, she now limits her conversation to "hello", "goodbye" and "how are you?".

While she used to say more, it is unlikely Charlie could do justice to all she has seen – at 114 years old she is also one of the oldest birds in the country.

Charlie, seen here with Sylvia Martin, used to be Winston Churchill's pet parrot during the Second World War

Now enjoying her retirement at Heathfield Nurseries, off Reigate's Flanchford Road, Charlie is something of a celebrity in the area.

Nursery manager Sylvia Martin told the Mirror: "People do come down here especially to see her.

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"Once we had some people that flew in from Canada and their first stop was to come straight here from the airport to see Charlie."

Following Churchill's death, Charlie was apparently given to Heathfield Nurseries' owner Peter Oram.

Mr Oram's father-in-law is said to have originally acquired Charlie in the 1930s, before selling her to Churchill shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War. Charlie was then reportedly given back to Mr Oram following Churchill's death in 1965.

She lived for a while in a pet shop in Croydon run by Mr Oram before moving out to Reigate for some peace and quiet in the late 1990s. Now Charlie, who was reportedly taught swear words by Churchill during her time with him, lives in an aviary with a small flock of rescue birds and her best friend – a five-year-old grey parrot named Rosie.

Sylvia added: "Originally Charlie was on her own here, but now she has got Rosie who she adores. They are great chums.

"Charlie doesn't talk as much as she did. She has become a bit aggressive and grumpy in her old age.

"But when they hear the car door they all shout 'goodbye'."

Because there are no official certificates for Charlie, Sylvia admits she does lose track of how old the aviary's senior stateswoman is.

"I used to say she was 108 not that long ago," she said. "Then I realised time had flown by."